Topic 4: Goals

Question 1

Goals should be…

Answer 1

1. Short-term
2. Achievable
3. Specific
4. Difficult

Question 2

3 functions of goals

Answer 2

1. Goals guide activities (direct attention toward goal-relevant actions)
2. Goals provide energy (help you work harder)
3. Goals prolong effort (help you work longer)

Question 3

Uninterested Math Students study - Question

Answer 3

How can interest in math be cultivated in uninterested students?

Question 4

Uninterested Math Students study - Task

Answer 4

Complete a set of 258 subtraction problems

Question 5

Uninterested Math Students study - Condition

Answer 5

1. Control (no intervention)
2. No goals (self directed learning), no recommend goals
3. Long term goals (SDL, “complete all problems by session 7)
4. Short term and long term goals (SDL, “complete all problems by session 7 AND complete at least 6 pages by EOS)

Question 6

Uninterested Math Students study - Measure

Answer 6

1. Performance
2. Self-efficacy
3. Level of interest

Question 7

Uninterested Math Students study - Findings

Answer 7

Condition 4 surpassed all other conditions in all 3 measures.

Question 8

Do you best vs. work toward a goal

Answer 8

“Do you best goals” have no external reference, no clear sense of what the “best” is. Therefore, when asked to do you best, you will not.

Question 9

Goals and Value Equation

Answer 9

R = Believing the goal is important. R is higher when goal is more important.

pS = Believing the goal is achievable. pS is higher when it is achievable.